Meanwhile, here are the excerpts from the conversation:
What’s going on between your brother Nawaz and his wife Aaliya?
Aaliya was a close friend of mine even before she got married to my brother Nawaz. There were problems between them, but perhaps with age, the tolerance levels went thin. Aaliya, as a woman, has taken a lot. Usne bahut bardasht kiya hai.
I stopped working with Shamas in 2020. A few months later, the issues between them went public. Main bahut sambhal ke rakhta tha har baat ko. When other non-deserving people joined him after I left, I feel they don’t know the process it takes to become a celebrity in the industry.
Why did you stop working with Nawaz?
I had done a lot of TV and even directed a show or two. Nawaz then asked me to join him. He said he wants people who are his own. In 2019, my film ‘Bole Chudiyan’ came up for release. To be frank, I didn’t want Nawaz in the film. I felt our personal equation could go haywire or we both many not be able to excel in each other’s presence. The producer however insisted that I cast Nawaz.
When the movie needed editing and patchwork, Nawaz suddenly told the producer that he won’t continue until he gets all his dues, related to the film. I wondered why Nawaz was doing this to my film and why was he not supporting me? The film came to a halt. I had given him so much. I didn’t even have a personal life till the age of 46. Friction set in between us.
There must have been heated clashes between you two…
No, if he had clashed, at least we would have spoken to each other and perhaps resolved the issues. He just stopped connecting with me.
Nawaz has also told the family that they should not see my daughter. Not only did they obey him, they didn’t even give me a call.
Why would he do that?
Woh dikhana chahte hain ki main hi sab kuch hoon.
One of my brothers confirmed it with me, he said they had been directed to not even wish me or congratulate me. But he did help me when one of my properties ran into a dispute and he bought the disputed property.
Have Nawaz and you spoken after returning from your village?
No.
Your mother is supposed to have called Nawaz and Aaliya’s second child as illegitimate…
People talk as per their ambience around them. My mother must have said this only in anger. As for Nawaz, he has not disowned his son. But I really don’t know what are those divorce papers which Nawaz has submitted to the Court. The Court will dissect this and decide. Aaliya has said that she hasn’t signed any such papers. So, she should challenge those papers in Court.
I have also seen a Gift Deed whereby Nawaz has gifted his bungalow to our mother. That deed is dated July 19 and the date of purchase of the stamp paper is July 25. Plus it has been notarised. Gift deeds are not notarised, they are supposed to be officially registered.
Why has this happened?
Unki team gadhi hai. Moreover, Nawaz doesn’t read everything before he signs. He is particular only when it comes to signing cheques.
How would you describe Nawaz as a person?
I don’t think any actor is better than him. Woh hamara khayal rakhte hain but he hasn’t established any brother’s career. He buys properties for us, but he isn’t what his image is. He is a difficult person. He abandons people- Aaliya and I are two examples.
The change happened after he became an actor, sometime in 2010. Jaise jaise bade bante gaye aur badlav aaya.
One of your brothers, Asma Siddiqui, has filed a legal complaint against Nawaz for ‘cheque bounce’…
Yes, Asma stays in Dehradun. He has filed a couple of cases against him.
What about your cases with Aaliya?
Aaliya and I have settled our matter.
The industry has always speculated that Irrfan Khan and Nawaz had a lot of friction between them. Kya ye tha? Kya ye nahi tha?
Friction did exist between them.
